NHS England then denied that there was a target to recruit 600 GPs by 2017/18, instead claiming that there was a commitment to begin recruitment of 600 roles within 2017/18, before removing the board paper from its website.

However, the latest document, which was republished today, said: ‘The international GP recruitment programmes are reporting that a total of 100 GPs are expected to be recruited by 31 March 2018.’